Chapter 8- Diving Environment Diving Environment 187 FIGURE 8-19. SEA URCHINS WILL HURT YOU ONLY IF YOU BUMP INTO THEM. can be life-threatening, but you can avoid this type of injury simply by not picking up such shells. Animals That Sting and Scrape Jellyfish are slimy, gelatin-like creatures that swim by pulsing, or contracting their bodies. They feed on small fish and other tiny creatures that float in the water. There are many different species of jellyfish, and they are found in most oceans. Jellyfish are slow moving and do not attack divers. These creatures do cause injuries through a diver’s accidental contact with their stinging cells, which are located on their tentacles. The tentacles can hang as much as 15 meters (50 feet) or more below the jellyfish. Most diving suits will protect you from the sting of a jellyfish. In addition, it is frequently possible to see these creatures from a distance and avoid them. Do not swim beneath them if you see them floating on the surface. Marine creatures that can scrape you include corals and barnacles. These are slow growing animals that injure you only if you bump into them. Proper buoyancy control is your best avoidance technique. Animals That Shock There are a few species of electric fish, including an electric eel and electric ray, which immobilize their prey by emitting an electric shock. Electric eels are found in the Amazon basin in South America. You can find different species of electric rays throughout the world. Information about these creatures would be included in an orientation to a new area. Verify What You Have Learned Review the following questions about marine life: 14. True or False: Injuries from aquatic life are usually the result of an offensive action by the animal. 15. You should not ___________________ ___________ even if you know what it is. 16. Sea urchins are an example of a ________________________. 17. Jellyfish are an example of a ________________________. CONSERVATION As a diver, you can have a profound effect on the underwater world. If you are a careful and conscientious diver, you can help ensure that the reefs where you dive today will be there for your children tomorrow. A careless or uncaring diver can destroy hundreds of years of coral growth in a single dive (figure 8-21). FIGURE 8-20. STINGRAYS ARE NORMALLY DOCILE CREATURES.
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